I am a literary giant in Russia

Chapter 277 The General's Family in Deep Thought

General Danilevsky, a well-known upper-middle-class official among the Russian nobility, and whose trip to Paris carried a certain political mission, had no doubt that he would be warmly welcomed and received by many people. However, he truly did not expect that the Parisian cultural circles were also paying attention to his arrival, and moreover:

"Many of them believe that you have extremely high literary cultivation and artistic talent, and that you are well-read with a keen eye for literature and art."

ah? me?

Who was the greatest writer in French history? Napoleon? Or Louis XVI?

"They say only someone like you can discover geniuses like Mikhail from among the common people."

Mikhail!

Upon hearing the name, the general, who had been completely bewildered, immediately smiled with relief.

That makes it easier to understand.
Although European nobles mostly competed in terms of power, wealth, and status, in this era of Europe, especially in Paris, cultural refinement has been regarded as an important manifestation of noble status, and those who excelled in this aspect were generally looked up to by other nobles.

Once upon a time, the young general also wanted to enjoy the benefits of cultural refinement, but after making a fool of himself on several important occasions, he decided to compete on the purest terms: power, wealth, and status.

But now it seems that the crude Russian nobles couldn't see through my cultural refinement, or rather, they saw it and became jealous, and then deliberately suppressed me and spread rumors that were detrimental to me!

Upon realizing this, the general suddenly understood, and those embarrassing scenes from his youth seemed to instantly transform into something else in his mind.
But how did the French cultural circles come to know me? Did Mikhail mention me when he was making his way in the Parisian literary scene?

It was worth it for me to value him so much.
While feeling gratified, the general also looked at the servant beside him and asked, "Have you bought the Parisian newspapers that I asked you to look into and purchase? Bring them to me now."

Although the general was indifferent to many things, seeing his daughter getting older and unwilling to have much contact with other young nobles even at Madame Danilevskaya's request, he couldn't help but have to consider some things, no matter how carefree he was.

In general, the general has not yet made up his mind, but time is indeed a very important factor. For a Russian noble family, having an "old maid" in the family would indeed damage the family's reputation.

Therefore, part of the reason the general came to Paris was to further clarify some things.

It seems that I received a pleasant surprise as soon as I arrived in Paris.

Thus, in a rather cheerful mood, the general enthusiastically picked up a newspaper brought to him by a servant, containing news about Mikhail. However, upon seeing the headline of an article, the general's hand holding the newspaper trembled instantly:
"The literary tsar Mikhail is committing his atrocities in France and England!"

General: "???"

A literary tsar?

Oh my god, that scared me to death!

According to this logic, am I supposed to pledge allegiance to Mikhail?
Although the general wanted to smash the newspaper on the ground the moment he saw the headline, he steadied himself and read on because such eye-catching and offensive articles were rare in St. Petersburg.
Meanwhile, out of curiosity, Madame Danilevskaya also picked up a newspaper. The newspaper she chose was relatively elegant and proper, but in the society and fashion column, Madame Danilevskaya saw the following article:
"Since the young writer returned from London, his name has once again become one of the most frequently discussed names in Paris."
Recently, he has been frequently spotted at the dinner parties of a duchess known for her elegance and taste. According to whispers among the gentlemen present, the lady "seems to have developed a growing interest in Russian literature"—so much so that she has personally read aloud the gentleman's works on several occasions.

As we all know, if a woman only likes a book, she will put it on the bookshelf; if she likes the author, she will put the author's book next to the dining table.

Some say the wife's husband doesn't mind at all, even claiming that "literature is the most harmless form of entertainment," but the gentlemen of Paris agree that the more a husband makes such a claim, the more suspicious he becomes.

Mrs. Danilevskaya: "?"

Why does it seem a bit frivolous?
Sure enough, when a young man arrives in the most bustling and glamorous Paris, how can he possibly remain unchanged?
Moreover, a year or so is enough time for many things to change.
Madame Danilevskaya thought about the likeable young man who had actually left a very good impression on her, and first couldn't help but sigh in her heart, then silently handed the newspaper to her daughter.

However, Madame Danilevskaya soon noticed that her daughter was also looking at the newspaper in her hand, and for some reason, her daughter's usually delicate and lively face was so serious at this moment, as if she was reading an article in the newspaper word by word.

Out of curiosity, Danilevskaya couldn't resist moving closer to her daughter, and she soon came across a new article:
"The aloof literary figure is estranged from noble ladies and young women—the little secret behind it."

The young writer who conquered London has recently returned to Paris, quickly attracting widespread discussion and attention.

However, as before, the young writer remained unusually reserved in social situations, especially around aristocratic ladies and young women at balls and banquets. Some jokingly remarked that his aloofness stemmed not only from his literary talent but also from an unspeakable "secret unease" that kept him subtly distant from the alluring Parisian women. Despite numerous invitations, he always politely declined, as if using words to substitute for real-world interaction.

Mrs. Danilevskaya: "?"

Why do these two articles present completely different arguments?

And what exactly constitutes a hidden problem?!
The middle-aged Madame Danilevskaya understood what the newspaper was saying after just a moment's thought, and judging from her daughter's reaction, her daughter probably understood what it meant as well.

So, which one should we believe?
For a moment, the general and his family of three were deep in thought as they looked at the Parisian newspapers.
After what seemed like an eternity, the general and his family of three finally snapped out of their daze after reading the articles in the newspaper. The general was the first to shake his head in dissatisfaction, saying, "The newspapers in Paris are far more prone to nonsense and offensive than those in St. Petersburg! If they dared to write such articles in St. Petersburg, they would surely be imprisoned!"

“Dad, I think so too.”

Nadya, whose expression remained serious, was the first to chime in: "The whole thing is utter nonsense. I don't think you can believe a single word of it."

Mrs. Danilevskaya: "?"

How do you know this is nonsense?

"Some of the content can still be believed, just like here."

The general covered the headline of the newspaper he was holding with another newspaper, then pointed to a section of it and said, “Look, the process of how Mikhail conquered Paris and London is written here very clearly! But the Parisians are too good at flattery; some of the things they said made me cringe and feel embarrassed.”

I feel that the author of this article is second only to my support for the Tsar in his devotion to Mikhail.
Thinking of this, the general also looked at the author's name: Legov.

"really?"

Although Mikhail had written down his experiences in Paris and London in detail in his letter, Nadya had only seen the modest version. Therefore, upon hearing the general's assessment, Nadya eagerly approached him, and there she saw:

"In France, his writing possesses French elegance and composure; in England, it takes on English depth and restraint; but it belongs only to himself. We thought we were already used to geniuses, until he appeared, and we realized that geniuses could write in this way."

Nadya: "!"

If you look at these words in conjunction with the humble descriptions Mikhail wrote to her, Nadya almost wants to hold the newspaper, spin around on the spot, and then cheer a few times!

Just as Nadya was about to continue reading and was about to see the line, "Who would have thought that amidst the shadow of despotism and the cold winds, such delicate, elegant, almost 'French' writing could flourish," the general completely covered the newspaper and then said to Nadya seriously:
"Alright, even if the Parisian newspapers have some truth to them, reading too many articles like this is very harmful to a decent family. I'll give you some newspapers after I've screened them so you can understand the situation in Paris. In the meantime, you should think carefully about the ball you're going to attend."

After saying this, the general grabbed the newspapers and went straight to his study, intending to learn more about the situation in Paris and criticize these offensive articles.

Nadya could only watch her father's departing figure with resentment and frustration.
Looking at the expression on her daughter's face, Madame Danilevskaya was speechless.

“Listen to your father. We have a lot to do next.”

Madame Danilevskaya shook her head, then said to her daughter:

"Our luggage is not yet packed, and some things are still undecided, so we are not receiving any guests for the time being. However, we have already informed everyone that we have arrived in Paris, and many Parisian nobles will be inviting us to balls and banquets. It is essential for us to understand the Parisian etiquette in this regard, so we need to familiarize ourselves with it."

As for the clothes needed for the Paris ball and dinner, I've already arranged for a suitable tailor. We need to go and take measurements today. Please take a look at your room and luggage. We'll go after afternoon tea."

Even though the general's family had made preparations before coming to Paris, they still had a lot to do after arriving, and social activities would not officially begin until the basic tasks were completed.

Listening to all the preparations and activities, Nadya felt a little discouraged, but she also secretly cheered herself up.

If nothing unexpected happens, her reunion with that long-lost person might take place at a ball, and such an occasion might not be bad, since she would probably look her best at a ball.
Just as Nadya was thinking this, Madame Danilevskaya also began to have a headache over the rules and dress requirements of the Paris Ball. Compared to Russia, the women's attire at the Paris Ball was obviously much more open.

While adapting to local customs, they must also adhere to certain Russian behavioral norms to a large extent; at the very least, overly frivolous and unrestrained dress and behavior are absolutely unacceptable.
(End of this chapter)